COCKTAIL IN THE RAINBOW - Chapter - 7

Chapter – 7

Atanu Samanta and Deb Pratim Dutta welcomed me almost jointly to occupy the same chair between them. I complied with their request though Gouri Chatterjee had earlier requested me once again to sit on the front row as Dilip Sen, sales tax consultant had left for home and would turn up sharp at 8 p.m. to join the cocktail party.

Prizes were nicely arranged on a table covered by immaculate white silken cloth at one side of the dais. Rozario, Kelvin, Nag, Mandakini and other senior managers of Rainbow head office seemed to be waiting for next announcement.

“Ladies and gentlemen, now we start the second session of our today’s ceremony. I request our beloved GM….” Looking at Chanakya Nag with smile Gouri Chatterjee announced, “I mean Mr. Chanakya Nag to inaugurate the prize distribution ceremony.”

Chanakya Nag got up from his chair and said loudly without microphone, “Ladies and gentlemen! You know that Rainbow is a worldwide international family. I am sure, you know well that some members go out for attending job or business and some look after household matters. But everybody meets in the family get-together. Same thing we do in Rainbow. We meet here on such auspicious occasion and enjoy. Tomorrow again we will be busy in our respective work. I now invite Mrs. Nag to give away the prizes to the winning members.”

Mandakini Nag got up from her chair and smilingly stood near the table on which prizes were kept for distribution. Gouri Chatterjee caught hold of the microphone mouthpiece by one hand and the list of winning candidates by other hand for announcement. One handsome young medical representative stood beside the table to help Mandakini in giving away the trophies with the announcement of Gouri Chatterjee.  

“Mr. Binoy Bhusan Bhar! Please come upon the stage for collecting your prize; Oh! I am sorry! You are getting two prizes. One, first prize in debate competition and second prize, oh! It’s MD’s special prize for arranging all the office functions systematically.” Gouri Chatterjee announced.

Binoy Bhar came upon the stage from the side door and bent forward the upper portion of his heavy body at sixty-degree angle. He collected from Mandakini Nag one Parker 51 fountain pen as first prize in debate competition and one original Japanese calculator as MD’s special prize. Holding up the prizes by his two hands he once again bent forward his body above the waistline at sixty-degree angle and turned towards the audience before exit.

Fatik Nandi already told me about Binoy Bhar who although was very fond of his family life, could not leave the office any day before 9 p.m. whenever Nag was in Calcutta. After office hours Nag had fancy in playing cards almost everyday with DMs and DSMs and also with his other favourite chaps in the big hall sitting around a convenient table. Usual games were Flush or Rummy at stakes of coins and currency notes of lower denominations. During the game, cold beer with spiced peanuts and snacks were served by Binoy Bhar as directed by Nag. After the game everybody would leave except Bhar who had the responsibility of closing and opening the office with the help of two peons.

Before joining Rainbow, Bhar used to work in a travel agency as Public Relation Executive. Though this travel agency was having office on an infamous lane of the most notorious red-light area of Calcutta, it’s tour itinerary included all famous places of India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Thailand. It had so much influence with rail, plane and shipping reservation counters that only with few hours’ notice confirmed tickets were delivered to the clients.

On the first day of his official visit to Rainbow as PR Executive of Transganges Travels Bhar told confidently, in Safari tour to the Jungles of North Bengal and Assam, elephants’ backs and the forest Bunglows were given preference first to his company. Even in Rajasthan deserts, best camels were reserved for the tourists booked through Transganges. There was a luxurious “Sikara”(boat) on Dal Lake of Kashmir exclusively reserved for this travel agency.

Nag was very much convinced by Bhar of Transganges Travels and very shortly opportunity stumbled down at his feet to utilize services of this agency house. He was informed by Rozario, the then Director (Marketing) over telephone from his residence at his residential number that a four member party consisting his two sisters-in-law and their husbands would visit Calcutta for a pleasure trip. He (Rozario) would be happy if Chanakya Nag could arrange their sight-seeing tour to North-Bengal, especially to Darjeeling, queen of hill stations in the Himalayas.

Though for official tour of Rainbow Managers and Executives, tickets were booked through World Wide Travels, an international travel agency as approved by Anderson, the then MD, Nag negotiated with Transganges Travels through Binoy Bhar for this private tour of the close relatives of Rozario. Nag knew well that officially being the Director (Marketing), Rozario was at the helm of administration. A blue-eyed boy of Anderson, Rozario used to interfere in the activities of Director, Commercial and Director, Technical. Anderson never hindered him in his activities beyond his jurisdiction as the white gentleman was captivated by this young man looking more like an Abyssinian than the descendant of Portuguese who ruled the tiny state of Goa for a long time.

Nag was aware of the fact that after Anderson, Rozario would become the MD of Rainbow India. Foresight of Rozario was also very sharp. He developed friendship with all four GMs who were favourites of Anderson. It was due to the recommendation of Rozario, four regional heads having designation Divisional Manager were elevated to post of General Manager – East, South, west and North.

Nag told Bhar that he would arrange payment of the entire expenses of the tour of MD’s relatives by cash only, not by cheque. Transganges Travels were delighted for getting entry into Rainbow and assurance of cash payment without bill from GM. Obviously such payment would not be liable for any tax.

Relatives of Rozario enjoyed the tour very much. One medical representative having headquarters at Siliguri was advised to receive the party at Bagdora airport and accompany them during their tour to Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Gangtok and Jaldapara forest. After going back to Bombay they expressed their happiness to Rozario for the excellent hospitality extended to them by Nag and his boys.

Since then Bhar became a person of Nag’s confidence. Within a month he was appointed by Nag as the Administrative Officer of Rainbow Calcutta office with kind permission of Rozario who in the meantime had become Managing Director Designate of Rainbow India after abrupt retirement of Anderson.

“Ladies and gentlemen! I now invite Mr. Deb Pratim Dutta, I mean our beloved Debu Dutta to come upon the stage to collect the prize of best cricketer.” Gouri Chatterjee announced on microphone.

Debu went up to the dais to collect his prize from Mandakini Nag who seemed to be stunned to look at the handsome tall young man with reddish white complexion and well shaped body wearing bright crimson tight T-shirt on white trouser. He looked like a romantic Hollywood hero. He became District Sales Manager, Home Products very recently after Tarit Ganguly had been promoted to DM of this division. Debu did not hesitate to admit that his wife Sikha had brought him luck as immediately after their marriage he got his promotion as DSM from Senior Sales Representative. Sikha was sitting with other ladies behind us, which I could know afterwards. I met her for the first time only in the cocktail party.

After Debu Dutta, P.K. Sanyal came on then dais to collect his prize as best chess player. Prodyot Kumar Sanyal, commonly known as PK, liked to be addressed like that by his seniors. He was jolly and ever smiling with burning cigarette gripped by his fingers. Nandi told me that PK could prepare instant story to pamper Talukdar, his immediate boss and Chanakya Nag. I remember the day Chanakya Nag introduced me with PK, a plump young man of short height and dark complexion, “PK, meet Sumanta Bose, our DM Agrochemicals and Sumanta please meet PK our DSM, Ethical Products.”

Shaking hands with me PK said, “ Welcome Sir to Rainbow.”

Turning his head to Nag he said, “Boss! You are great! Your forecast regarding railway tender has come true. We will get the business.”

“Thank you. Come to me after getting the business.” Nag said.

Prize distribution ceremony was progressing fast. Nag seemed to be feeling uneasy on the dais. Bhar, who was standing near the side door, came before Nag getting his signal. Nag whispered something to him. Bhar left the auditorium immediately.

“Ladies and gentlemen! I now request Mr. Atanu Samanta to come upon the stage to collect his prize as a best actor in the last drama presented by Rainbow sports club.” Gouri Sankar announced.

Atanu went upon the dais and collected a complete volume of the works of Shakespeare from Mandakini as his prize.    

Atanu Samanta, Product Manager of Pharma Division was a cultured literary young man of medium height and fair complexion with thinning hair above forehead and bright eyes. He was humorous and smiling. For a short period Atanu worked in Kipling and Kingsley as a field supervisor for pharmaceutical products.

In Rainbow Pharma Division, medical representatives would report to District Sales Manager who would again report to DM. So I was to some extent curious about job responsibility of Atanu who told me a very interesting story in my cabin in presence of Nandi.

It was the story of an old pharmaceutical company in Calcutta. Though a private limited company, it was wholly owned by a Jewish family. For some of their ethical products there was good demand in rural areas as in the villages and suburban towns most of the doctors used to own medical stores which were attached to their clinics. These doctors placed regular orders with medical representatives of this company who got to empty their detailing bag containing physician samples on their tables. They got meagre salary and commission on sale. In spite of personal and joint appeals, company did not settle their demands. So one fine morning, management of this company saw ‘stop work’ notice submitted by the medical representatives. MD was at that time in USA for a special training in man power and man management. He came back by earliest flight to Calcutta on being informed by his office of the grave situation as the sales supervisors had also endorsed the agitation of the medical representatives.

Mr. MD, a staunch worshipper of Jehovah, was a man of cool brain. He further equipped himself with the recent training in man management during his short visit to U.S.A. he met the leading members of the striking medical representatives and sales supervisors and appreciated their action very much. He further told them that had he been in their position he would have taken recourse to same action. However, he admitted that all these problems had cropped up due to absence of any sales conference for a long time. So he invited all the medical representatives and sales supervisors to join him in a conference to be followed by buffet lunch. Everybody was delighted with the munificent attitude of the MD just returned from U.S.A. They heard about sales conference accompanied by lunch or dinner held by multinational or big Indian pharmaceutical companies. It would be an eventful occasion for them to attend sales conference to be accompanied by lunch for the first time.

Morning session ended with gala lunch. Fish being the top favourite of Bengali people, fish fry was in abundance with chicken leg ‘Biriyani’ and mutton ‘Kabab’. Last item was “Rosogolla” a favourite Bengali sweet.

Afternoon session was fixed for personal discussion with MD. One after another sales supervisors and medical representatives went inside MD’s cabin and came out smiling. It was known afterwards that all sales supervisors were promoted to Sales Managers and all medical representatives were made Territory Managers, their salaries and commission remaining unaltered. Since commission was paid in terms of percentage, more sales would fetch more money as per very simple mathematical formula. Atanu paused for a moment and I burst into laughter. Nandi also joined me. Being a humorist Atanu did not laugh and said seriously, “Sorry! I have not yet finished my story.”

“An upcountry sales supervisor rushed towards MD’s chamber when all the new managers left the office. The poor fellow was awfully late as his train had been held up at a railway station by the agitating passengers travelling without tickets in the previous train and punished instantly with heavy penalty by the mobile checking staffs.

Mr. MD listened to the gentleman with patience and said, “My boy! I am sorry, there is nothing left for you as you are late.”

“Sir, I have told you everything. Please do something for me.” The sales supervisor said desperately.

Mr. MD consoled him by patting his back and said, “Ok boy! I will give you promotion. But are you prepared for less salary?”

“I don’t mind Sir! Please give me promotion.” Sales supervisor almost cried.

“Ok! My boy! From today you are my Product Manager! Congratulations!” Mr. MD said with ecstasy.

COCKTAIL IN THE RAINBOW - Chapter - 2

Chapter – 2

In the morning hours all pharma sales people, including Ramani Talukdar and Chanakya Nag were out of the office. They were busy in pharma sales conference. Though there was an official holiday for the office, managers of other divisions and essential staff members like Binoy Bhar, Fatik Nandi, Jagabandhu Adhikari and Leda Joseph, telephone operator cum receptionist were requested by Chanakya Nag to remain in the office.

So I was there in my air-conditioned cozy cabin relaxing on the soft revolving chair in an inclined position with my eyes fixed on the slow moving fan.

“Sir, may I come in?” Nandi appeared before me. “Sorry to disturb you. Should I come after some time?”

“Oh! No! Please take your seat Mr. Nandi.” I said.

Nandi sat on the chair opposite to me across the table and said, “Thank you Sir!”

“Welcome, it’s my pleasure Mr. Nandi.” I said, “You didn’t finish the story of Kipling and Kingsley. I am interested to know more about the company. What happened to those two English gentlemen?”

I relaxed on my chair again and started smoking. I offered a cigarette to Nandi. He refused with thanks as in Rainbow no office staff used to smoke in the presence of senior managers.

“What should I tell you, Sir,” Nandi said and paused for a moment closing his eyes.  “Entire office of Kipling and Kingsley was a garden of flowers. Except very few male members office was full of beautiful Anglo-Indian, Armenian and Jewish ladies. Secretary of Mr. Kingsley was such a paragon of beauty, all the male staff members were eager to have her eye-glance. I saw her other day in the Esplanade-Park Circus tram-car. Middle age could not eclipse her beauty. Miss Martin caught hold my both hands and expressed her immense pleasure of meeting me after a long time. Passengers of the tram-car were looking at me with curiosity.

“And I am looking at you with jealousy,” I said with a smile. Instantly I told him, “Sorry I am just joking with you, please continue.”

Nandi said, “Sir, I remember very much my days in Kipling and Kingsley and often become nostalgic for that period of my life, I can never get back.”

Nandi paused for a while and then said, “Worst disaster came down to Kipling and Kingsley office with the sudden death of Mr. Kipling, who was a confirmed bachelor. I mean unmarried, having no legal issue. Mr. Kingsley’s health broke down shortly after the death of his loving friend. His wife came to India once, only for a short period as she was very much afraid of Indian malaria which had taken the life of    Mr. Kipling in its malignant form. She constantly persuaded Mr. Kingsley to leave India disposing of his company and the property. Ultimately, the company along with all assets and liabilities was purchased by Mr. Topilal Sarbatwala.”

“Was there any change in salary structure or benefit, the staff members used to enjoy before the change over of management?” I asked.

Nandi said, “No Sir. There was no change for anybody. Rather Mr. Sarbatwala assured us of five-percent increase in salary after six months. All male staff members were happy and thanked Mr. Sarbatwala for his generosity. The ladies kept standing with their pale white faces. They seemed to be very much unhappy. Of course, when asked by Mr. Sarbatwala, they smiled.”

“Why the ladies were not happy?” I asked. Nandi started laughing and said, “Sir, I feel shy to tell you. Ladies used to earn much more from Mr. Kipling and Mr. Kingsley besides their salary depending upon their capacities in pleasing them and their guests.”

Suddenly Binoy Bhusan Bhar entered my cabin with Ramchandra and carpenter Khodabox having screw-driver in one hand and measuring tape roll in another hand.

“Sorry to disturb you Sir. I have come just for a check-up of the cabin. Is there any defect with your furniture Sir?” Bhar asked me.

“No thanks! Everything is all right. Nothing is defective.” I said with a smile, though I did not like his entering my cabin in such fashion.

 Before leaving my cabin Bhar looked at Nandi with vexation, probably because he did not like his sitting before me. In Rainbow no office staff except personal secretaries used to sit inside GM’s and DM’s cabins. Though I did not like this system or norm, as I was new in the company I did not break that. Since it was a holiday and everybody was in festive mood, I requested Nandi to sit before me.

After departure of Bhar I told Nandi, “Be easy. You need not worry for Bhar. If he reports anything to Nag, I will take care of you.”

“Thank you, Sir!” Nandi said with an expression of gratitude.

On my first day in Rainbow, Chanakya Nag introduced me with all the Managers, officers and staff members of the office. When we went to Nandi’s table, he said, shaking hands with me, “Good morning Sir, welcome to Rainbow India. Always at your service, Sir.”

After half an hour Nandi entered my cabin and told me, “Sir! Please consider me as your own person as you are from Kipling and Kingsley, my old company. I will remain always at your service.”

Since that day I have enjoyed company of Fatik Nandi, who used to come to me somehow or other evading falcon looks of Binoy Bhar.

Getting himself very homely again, Nandi told me more about his days in Kipling and Kingsley.

“After the changeover, almost all the ladies left the company for the future. Even some of the sales and medical representatives joined the services of the other companies. I remained along with few more office staffs. Mr. Topilal Sarbatwala recruited some new persons, both in the office and the field. He finalized new agency agreements with some Indian companies.

One day I heard that Rainbow International would terminate their agency agreement with Kipling and Kingsley as they had already finalized their factory site in Bombay after getting a license from the government. I too heard that Mr. William Anderson, overseas manager for Southeast Asia of Rainbow International got the charge of setting up factory in India and he would become the first managing director of Rainbow India.”

Nandi paused for a second and said, “When gossips regarding Rainbow cooled down, one day I was very surprised to find Mr. William Anderson in our office. Mr. Sarbatwala came out from his chamber to receive Mr. Anderson. I was standing very much near to the door of Mr. Sarbatwala’s chamber. While going into the chamber Mr. Anderson saw me and said loudly, waving his right hand, “Hallow Fatik? How are you?”   

Not only Mr. Sarbatwala, everybody in the office got stunned.”

“Did you meet Mr. Anderson beforehand?” I asked.

“Not once, many times” Nandi said with gravity and told further, “Whenever Mr. Anderson used to come to Calcutta, Mr. Kipling and Mr. Kingsley entertained him at their Alipore Bunglow. Though there had been official room booked in Hotel Emperor Intercon, Mr. Anderson was a special guest in Alipore Bunglow. Only two trusted persons were engaged to look after William Anderson. For indoor comfort Helen Martin, personal secretary of Kingsley and for outdoor job, this poor man, Fatik Nandi.” Nandi said with confidence.

There was a phone call for me. It was from my residence. My sister informed me that a letter had come from American Agro-Chemicals. It was about my appointment letter and obviously I dropped the receiver with a smile.

“Sir any good news?” Nandi asked me.

“Nothing special, please continue your interesting episode of Kipling and Kingsley.” I said.

“Oh! Really interesting. That was the golden time of my life. Do you know what happened that day?” Nandi asked me.

“How can I know unless you tell me?” I said with a smile.

“After having meeting with Mr. Sarbatwala, when Mr. Anderson was going out, he dropped his visiting card on my table. On the back hotel room number was written. I was sure he desired me to see him in his hotel room.”

Nandi did not complete his story, suddenly he got up from the chair and with my permission left the cabin.

I sank in my soft revolving chair with high backrest and closing my eyes thought about my new assignment in American Agro-Chemical. Within a fortnight I would have to complete passport, visa, foreign exchange and other various documents, besides making some new arrangement for my family.

Within ten or fifteen minutes Nandi entered my cabin and said, “Sir, I am sorry to go out abruptly. My wife and daughter were to come here to attend the function. So I went out to see whether they had come.”

“Have they come?” I asked.

“Not yet, Sir. They will come by local train from Canning. My brother-in-law will pick them from my residence and leave at the office. That was the arrangement.” Nandi said.

I said, “Please do not worry about them. Canning is quite far from Calcutta. Sometimes local trains are irregular. They will come in no time. Please take your seat.”

Nandi sat on the chair and said, “Some interesting news! Binoy Bhar may come to you very shortly.”

“He is most welcome. Anything special?” I asked Nandi.

Nandi looked at the closed door of my cabin and said in low voice, “Car politics.”
I stared at him and said, “Sorry, can’t follow you.”

Before Nandi could say anything there was a gentle knock at the cabin door.

I said, “Yes, come in.” 

COCKTAIL IN THE RAINBOW - Chapter - 1

CHAPTER - 1

It was the foundation day of the Eastern Regional head office of Rainbow International India Private Limited. The long auditorium used for territorial or regional conference was rearranged like a small theatre hall lighted with powerful lamps on the walls and two big chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. There was a dais on one side. Though there was a holiday in the office all staff members, officers and managers were busy in the afternoon and seemed to be waiting for a particular moment.

Overseas Director, who was the head of all overseas units of Rainbow International, came to Calcutta for the first time to be the chief guest for the function which would be inaugurated by the Managing Director of Rainbow India. There were also half a dozen senior managers of Indian head office and factory of Rainbow who used to accompany the Managing Director always during his visits to regional and branch offices with audiovisual system.

I got a cyclostyled copy of the program of the function. There would be prize distribution, break for two hours and the cocktail and dinner.

Function was supposed to start exactly at four o’clock in the afternoon beginning with the introduction of the guests and welcome speech by Chanyaka Nag, General Manager (East) of Rainbow International India. Leonidus Rozario, first Indian Managing Director of Rainbow would deliver his inaugural speech. Robert Kelvin, Overseas Director of Rainbow International would deliver his lecture as chief guest. Iris Stephen, young and beautiful private secretary of Chanyaka Nag would garland Kelvin and Rozario. Haladhar Jana, the oldest peon of Rainbow, Calcutta would thank the Indian management conducted by Rozario for honest, generous and kind attitude towards the employee on behalf of third and fourth class staff members of the Eastern Regional establishment. On behalf of sales, medical and chemical representatives of Rainbow India, Eastern Region, Gouri Sankar Chatterjee would thank Kelvin, Rozario, and head office executives, Chanyaka Nag and other managers of Rainbow India, Eastern Region for excellent management and administration. He would then recite an English poem written by him for this special occasion.

Second part of this function consisted of only prize distribution ceremony.

Mandakini Nag, wife of Chanyaka Nag kindly consented for distributing the prizes to the winners of various events as organized by the Rainbow sports club of Eastern Regional head office. She would be aided by Binoy Bhusan Bhar, administrative officer of the Calcutta regional office. Bhar loved to be called as “B cube” by Nag for the first letter B for his first name, first letter B for his second name and first letter B for his surname. He did not like to be called “B cube” by any other member of the office and the field, since he was an officer, not ordinary staff. However, he was called as B cube by everybody in his absence.

Binoy Bhusan Bhar was on the top of the list of recipients of the prizes. He would get the first prize of debate competition. Besides, he would get MD special prize for arranging all the functions of Rainbow House systematically. His name was recommended by GM (East). The best cricketer prize would go to Debpratim Dutta, District Sales Manager of Home Products Division. Prodyot Kumar Sanyal, familiarly known as PK who was District Sales Manager of Ethical Products Division would be awarded the best chess player prize. Stores clerk Budhadev Sinha would be awarded first prize for recitation. Atanu Samanta, Product Manager of Ethical Products Division would get a best actor prize for his superb acting in the office drama.

List of prize winners was quite long. Indoor and Outdoor sports competition in Rainbow sports club used to be held twice in a year, along with a family get-together. Wives and children of the office and field staff including managers were free to participate in various indoor events.

Joint winners of Bridge tournament were Chanyaka Nag and Swapna Ganguly, wife of Tarit Ganguly, Divisional Manager of Home Products.

Jolly Nag, daughter of Mr. Chanyaka Nag and Amit Talukdar, son of Ethical Products Divisional Manager Ramani Ranjan Talukdar would get their prizes for dance and music respectively. Consolation prizes would go to Badal, son of Accounts officer Jagabandhu Adhikari and Basabi, daughter of Despatch Assistant Fatik Nandi. Lastly, special award for sincerity and obedience would go to Ramchandra Mondol, personal peon of Chanyaka Nag.

I did not see when Fatik Nandi stood beside me. I could know when I heard his voice, “Sir, gone through the programme?”

“Yes! Good arrangement for entertainment,” I said.

Nandi said in his low voice, “There is a small programme after the prize distribution and before the break.”

“But it’s not mentioned in this cyclostyled copy!” I said.

“Yes Sir! You are right. This programme would be announced by Chanyaka Nag.”

Fatik Nandi said and continued, “It’s a confidential programme to be known by the public abruptly."

Binoy Bhar was going towards the auditorium. He stood in front of me and said,

“Good afternoon Sir! Anything I can do for you?”

I said, “Thanks!” Binoy Bhar lowered down the upper portion of his heavy body as a mark of respect and again straitening his stature left in the auditorium.

“Sir, please don’t mind, he is a number one hypocrite; never open your heart to him.” Said Fatik Nandi.

I joined Rainbow about a week back. Whenever he got the chance, Fatik Nandi tried his best to give me details of Rainbow Calcutta office for my guidance. Though initially I did not like his unwanted talks and would avoid him, after two days used to enjoy his company in my chamber. I got lots of information from him regarding Rainbow within these few days.

Rainbow International is a prestigious multinational European company in the field of medicines, including bulk drugs, laboratory chemicals, agro-chemicals, paints and consumer goods. In mid-sixties Rainbow set up their own establishment in India with head office in Bombay and factory in it’s suburb. Till then famous Kipling and Kingsley company used to deal with Rainbow products and distribute through reputed medicine wholesalers in the cosmopolitan cities.

Not only Rainbow products, Kipling and Kingsley company used to import various ranges of products of many other multinational companies of the world. Afterwards, they manufactured some medicines, insecticides and whiteners of foreign companies under loan license in Calcutta and suburbs. In the fifties and sixties Kipling and Kingsley company was a very popular name, particularly for young graduates desirous of joining the sales profession and to less known foreign companies interested to market their products in India used to approach first Kipling and Kingsley.

Though in the market Kipling and Kingsley company was known as multinational foreign company, in fact, it was purely an Indian company run by two English gentlemen, Robert Kipling and John Kingsley. They were retired army officers and good friends. Both of them were posted in the North-East Frontier province of India. After the end of the Second World War, they came to Calcutta from Kohima in Nagaland and settled in this city. In those days of mid-forties houses were available at very cheap rent. Robert and John got one large house near Calcutta police headquarter in Lalbazar and formed their partnership company Kipling and Kingsley. Initially they used to import foreign liquors, articles of toilet and fancy dresses. Within a year they started importing medicine mostly from European countries. Before the independence of India, there were very few manufacturers of pharmaceutical and chemical products. Life saving drugs were largely imported in the subcontinent. So the business of Kipling and Kingsley got increased by leaps and bounds. They opened their branch offices in Bombay, Delhi and Madras.

After independence, many English families left India for England. But Robert and John stayed permanently in Calcutta. They purchased a two-storied bunglow at Alipore from the heir of a vassal state. After renovation in English style they shifted their residence from Lalbazar to Alipore. Three-storied building at Lalbazar was fully converted to office and warehouse. Warehouse was on ground floor, general office at first floor and Directors with management staves on the second or top floor.

Nandi could not finish the story of Kipling and Kingsley that day as I had some meeting with Chanakya Nag. The next day I got the opportunity and called Nandi in my chamber. I requested him to finish the story of Kipling Kingsley.

“Sir, what should I tell you, it’s not a story but a fairy tale. Nobody will believe how great were those two ‘Sahibs’!” Nandi said and after a short pause continued, “I was hardly a boy of seventeen, I joined Kipling and Kingsley company as an errand staff. Starting from the bank, sales tax office, corporation etc., I got to go everywhere as per advice of two beautiful private lady secretaries of Robert and John. I was made common personal secretary of both of them for doing their personal outdoor work. They used to call me by my first name Fatik.” 

Nandi could not finish the story of Kipling and Kingsley that day also as he got to leave my chamber to make statement of despatch particulars of medicine samples sent to representatives of Eastern India.

Within a day or two all the representatives of pharmaceutical, chemical and home products division would come to Calcutta to join the function of foundation day to be followed by cocktail and dinner.

He was very much free and frank in opening his mind to me as he could learn, before joining Rainbow as their Divisional Manager, Agro-Chemical Division, Eastern Region; I had worked for Kipling and Kingsley for a year as a manager of their Insecticides Division. But this Kipling and Kingsley company was not that as owned by Robert Kipling and John Kingsley. It was owned by Topilal Sarbatwala, a share broker and estate agent who purchased the company without changing the name. 

Nandi told me, “Sir, what a coincidence! Both of us are from KK. I mean Kipling and Kingsley family.”

With a smile I said, “Good! I feel at home to get someone from my ex-employer. I mean the company, not the owners.”

COCKTAIL IN THE RAINBOW - Prologue

It was mid-August of end-seventies of the last century. I was relaxing in the coupe of a first class air-conditioned compartment of Howrah-Delhi Express waiting for departure from Howrah station. My destination was Patna junction.

I always preferred overnight train journey to irregular day journey by aeroplane not only to enjoy the luxury of first class air-conditioned couch, but also to save working hours.

I could learn from the reservation chart affixed to the outer wall of the compartment that the upper berth of the coupe was allotted to one Mr. S. Bose destined to Mokamah junction.

“Good evening! Sumanta Bose."

I looked at the caller. A tall gentleman of the late thirties in blue jeans and Havana coat with bent tobacco pipe gripped in the left corner of his jaw stood before me smiling.

“Good evening,” I said, “Please take your seat Mr. Bose.”

Mr. Bose thanked me and helped his porter to unload his big suitcase decorated by many multicoulered stickers of hotels and airlines.

Sultry weather of August in Calcutta was so tiresome that I was wearing only a printed ‘lungi’ and side cut ‘banian’.

Since air-conditioning effect was very mild I put on the fan on full speed. For the sake of formality, I wore my thin ‘Kurta’ when Mr. Bose had gone to the toilet for changing his dress.

Arriving back in his sleeping suit Mr. Bose asked me “Like some drinks?” Saying this without waiting for my ‘yes’ or ‘no’, he brought out a big bottle of Cognac Napoleon, a superb French brandy, I heard of, never seen or tasted.

I had a pint bottle of Indian 3X Rum, of course virgin, in my suitcase. Earlier I thought of enjoying my own drinks alone had there been cancellation of the journey of other passenger at the last moment. Many times in my travelling life, it happened thus. I was totally alone in the coupe relaxing with drinks and few current light magazine containing interviews of film stars and their spicy stories. I also used to imagine young princess of some ex-Vassal state or leading film actress occupying the last moment cancelled berth and I would express my chivalrous courtesy by offering my lower berth to her ladyship.

“Most welcome Mr. Bose. It’s my pleasure,” I said enthusiastically. Co-passenger offering Cognac Napoleon seemed to be more precious to me than the young princess or film actress. In many dinner parties at the five star hotels I had the chance of enjoying Scotch whisky, Spanish sherry, French champagne or Cognac. Obviously I was thrilled at the sight of Cognac bottle bearing the name of the famous French Emperor.

Sumanta Bose called the coach attendant and asked for some ice.

“Sir! Had you told me earlier, I would have fetched from the platform, we do not keep ice in the compartment,” replied the coach attendant cracking the joints of his fingers.

Before the attendant finished his useless words of cheap excuse Mr. Bose had jumped up from his seat and vanished within a moment. Just two or three minutes passed, he came back with a block of ice.

“Poor creatures! I don't find any change at all. Without doing anything they would stretch hands for tips as they did before,” said Mr. Bose                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

He seemed to be irritated for the cold behavior of the railway employee. In fact, he was not that much experienced with the psychology of the travelling railway staff. Had he given the coach attendant a ten-rupee note with his order for ice, material would have been brought by him without showing any excuse.

Bringing back smile on his handsome face Mr. Bose said, “Now the problem is how to break the ice.”

“No problem at all”, saying this I opened my suitcase and brought out a heavy metal bottle opener, which was once presented to me by a fellow traveler attached to a wine company.

I told Mr. Bose, “Hope this will also act as icebreaker.”

“Really marvelous!” Exclaimed Mr. Bose. He then brought down two glass tumblers from the holders and poured in Cognac to make two equal large pegs. I helped him break the ice block with the opener and got two large pieces which were again put in the tumblers. The rest of the ice block was wrapped inside a towel to prevent immediate melting.

Cheers! Mr. Bose raised his glass.

Cheers! I echoed pushing the brocade screen to one side of the window. Through clear glass screen, though double, I could see the fast receding light posts and lighted windows of the railside houses and realised that the train was picking up speed.

Mr. Bose filled with fresh tobacco in his pipe after the exchange of our individual identities.

He would get down a Mokamah junction and would go to Urvaraknagar, a fertilizer township near Barauni oil refinery, hardly at a distance less than three kilometers.

Mr. Bose was employed in an American fertilizer company in their South East Asian Marketing Division having office in New York and deputed by his company to survey the prospect of joint venture in Indian sub-continent. The first study was to be made by Mr. Bose about the production capacities of the fertilizer companies situated in different countries of the sub-continent against projected market potential and also to assess the requirement of fertilizer to cope with the agricultural development program so that his company in the United States could plan strategy for export of fertilizer to those developing and underdeveloped countries or for collaborating with the public and private sector companies.

“I look through the window everything clear outside. Can you tell me Sir about the position of moon this evening?” Mr. Bose asked me.

I was bewildered to a great extent. Spending so many years in sales and marketing I was only busy in my endeavors in reaching business and collection target, attending sales conference, reviewing territorial performance of sales personnel and moving often in the region allotted by my company, besides participating in multifarious cocktail parties and meeting incoming and outgoing bosses at the airport, I had no time at all to catch the movement of my family members. How could I know the motion of celestial bodies like sun, moon, stars, planets, and so on? But it was not possible for me to reply like that.

“Probably full moon night,” I said. Next moment I remembered that I was having a diary with dates in three languages – English, Bengali and Hindi along with lunar days. I brought out the diary from my briefcase and got, what had been asked by

Mr. Bose.

“Today is the fourteenth of the light fortnight, Sukla Chaturdashi as is said. Full moon, I mean Purnima will fall at 10.15 p.m.,” I said again.

“Sukla Chaturdashi?” Mr. Bose exclaimed, “What a great coincidence!” he continued, “I remember the big cocktail party beginning in the evening of Sukla Chaturdashi and closing with the full moon descending towards the horizon.”

Having a light sip of the Cognac I told, “Thrilling! To hear about a long cocktail party, I feel I was there.”

Mr. Bose burst into a sounding laughter, which he restrained within few seconds and said pointing to my glass, “Perhaps you would have been misfit in that party, you are too slow in drinks. Please finish your glass, we will have next.”

I told smilingly, “Only next, no further.”

“That we will think later. Let us enjoy,” Mr. Bose said while pouring drinks in the tumblers.

Though most of the ice melted into water inside the towel, whatever was left I broke in two pieces and put inside our glasses.

I said, “Mr. Bose, you told about a big cocktail party, that was in India or abroad?”

“Oh! You remember that! Yes, it was in India and of course in Calcutta. It was the last cocktail party I participated before my departure for the States,” Mr. Bose said and took a sip of Cognac. He continued, “You know had it been a hilarious dinner party starting with dance and cocktail session, I would have forgotten the event long back. But I have not forgotten even now after so many years as the party appeared to me something different, beyond knowledge of many Indians having no idea of multinational corporate companies.”

I stared at Mr. Bose with curiosity.

Mr. Bose continued, “Yes, it was the cocktail party of a multinational company’s eastern regional office in Calcutta where I worked only for seven days as their Divisional Manager of Agro-Chemical products.”

I said, “If you don’t mind Mr. Bose, can I know the name of the company?”

Mr. Bose said, “Why not? You may know the company very well. Perhaps better than me. ”

“It is Rainbow International India Private Limited.”

“Yes I know. Now the company’s name has been changed to Rainbow Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals India Limited. It is now a giant company in India manufacturing chemicals of all types, pharmaceutical products, bulk drugs, diagnostic kits and hospital equipment. I know some boys working for Rainbow. But I am very much interested to know about your experience of the cocktail party in Rainbow,” I said with a smile.

“Oh! Sure! But don’t fall asleep. It’s a long story and still there is half bottle of Cognac.” Mr. Bose said with sounding laughter again.

After having a long sip of Cognac, Mr. Sumanta Bose started narrating the story of Cocktail in the Rainbow.

COCKTAIL IN THE RAINBOW - SYNOPSIS

“COCKTAIL IN THE RAINBOW” is a thrilling Fiction written in English in the background of a cocktail party hosted by Calcutta Regional Office of the Indian Unit of a world famous giant multinational company, Rainbow International, having corporate head quarters in England. The company is diversely engaged in the manufacture of pharmaceutical formulations, bulk drugs, chemicals, diagnostic kits, veterinary medicines, pigments and non-durable consumer products.

Indian Unit i.e. Rainbow India was established by William Anderson, a highly accomplished Britisher who had far sighted vision of making the company topper on the list of pharmaceutical and chemical industries in Indian subcontinent. But his long cherished dream was not fulfilled as he had to go back to England infamously leaving the fate of Rainbow India in the hand of Leonidus Rozario, an Indian with Portuguese lineage and a native of Goa.

Rozario was once the steno-typist of Anderson and gradually became his blue-eyed boy who was elevated step by step to the post of Director of the company. Over ambitious Rozario wanted to become the Managing Director of Rainbow India by ousting his benefactor. He was successful in his evil mission with the help of some ex-colleagues of Anderson in England who were envious of his princely life in India.

The story begins with the visit of Rozario, Managing Director of Rainbow India along with Robert Kelvin, overseas Director of Rainbow International to attend the foundation day celebration of Calcutta Regional office to be followed by gala cocktail and dinner party.

This novel is the saga of love of a young executive with a blind girl and a young sales representative of a rich family with a door-to-door sales girl who fell victim of sex abuse by a District Sales Manager who got promotion to Divisional Manager by sending his wife to sleep with Rozario.

The Novel depicts the vivid picture of the managers and executives who got promotion and better perquisites by sending their wives or girl friends to satisfy the carnal desire of Rozario and his guests.

There are various interesting characters like General Manager (East), a careerist, Divisional Manager, Pharmaceuticals, a most dissatisfied person and an honest Divisional Manager, Home products who was ousted as he could not procure girl to sleep with Rozario.

The story of the cocktail party is narrated to the writer in a railway air conditioned first class coupe during his journey from Howrah station to Patna junction by his co-passenger, one Sumanta Bose, a senior executive of an American company. Sumanta worked in Rainbow as Divisional Manager, Agro chemicals only for a week and attended the cocktail party on the seventh day i.e. his last day in Rainbow. He discovered many characters in the party which started at two hours after the night fall with drinks and ended at three hours before the day break, also with drinks. Never before such novel has been written by any Indian writer regarding a cocktail party as depicted in “THE COCKTAIL IN THE RAINBOW”.